diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/role/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/role/index.ts
index 45ddbc8823..5a1f836036 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/role/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/role/index.ts
@@ -19,4 +19,8 @@ export type {
   PackagePlatform,
   PackageRoleName,
 } from './types';
-export { detectPackageRole, readPackageRole } from './packageRoles';
+export {
+  getRoleInfo,
+  detectPackageRole,
+  readPackageRole,
+} from './packageRoles';
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/role/packageRoles.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/role/packageRoles.test.ts
index 555dc9ce9c..d41cd08488 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/role/packageRoles.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/role/packageRoles.test.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,29 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import { readPackageRole, detectPackageRole } from './packageRoles';
+import {
+  getRoleInfo,
+  readPackageRole,
+  detectPackageRole,
+} from './packageRoles';
+
+describe('getRoleInfo', () => {
+  it('provides role info by role', () => {
+    expect(getRoleInfo('web-library')).toEqual({
+      role: 'web-library',
+      platform: 'web',
+    });
+
+    expect(getRoleInfo('app')).toEqual({
+      role: 'app',
+      platform: 'web',
+    });
+
+    expect(() => getRoleInfo('invalid')).toThrow(
+      `Unknown package role 'invalid'`,
+    );
+  });
+});
 
 describe('readPackageRole', () => {
   it('reads explicit package roles', () => {
@@ -52,7 +74,7 @@ describe('readPackageRole', () => {
         name: 'test',
         backstage: { role: 'invalid' },
       }),
-    ).toThrow(`Unknown role 'invalid' in package test`);
+    ).toThrow(`Unknown package role 'invalid'`);
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/role/packageRoles.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/role/packageRoles.ts
index 76467d990e..9d0ec501c6 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/role/packageRoles.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/role/packageRoles.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,14 @@ const packageRoles: PackageRoleInfo[] = [
 ];
 const roleMap = Object.fromEntries(packageRoles.map(i => [i.role, i]));
 
+export function getRoleInfo(role: string): PackageRoleInfo {
+  const roleInfo = packageRoles.find(r => r.role === role);
+  if (!roleInfo) {
+    throw new Error(`Unknown package role '${role}'`);
+  }
+  return roleInfo;
+}
+
 const readSchema = z.object({
   name: z.string().optional(),
   backstage: z
@@ -52,11 +60,7 @@ export function readPackageRole(pkgJson: unknown): PackageRoleInfo | undefined {
       );
     }
 
-    const roleInfo = packageRoles.find(r => r.role === role);
-    if (!roleInfo) {
-      throw new Error(`Unknown role '${role}' in package ${pkg.name}`);
-    }
-    return roleInfo;
+    return getRoleInfo(role);
   }
 
   return undefined;